The Little Mermaid review: Disney's live-action remake fails to make a splash

Once upon a time, in the corporate kingdom of Disney, a trend emerged that aimed to redo animated classics in live-action. However, upon closer inspection, the futility of this endeavour reveals itself, like a fairy godmother's pumpkin carriage turning back into a humble vegetable. In the realm of animation, the artists' brushes create a world where imagination knows no bounds. Talking animals, singing teapots, and magical spells effortlessly transport us into realms uncharted. But when the magic is transposed into live-action, the result can be as underwhelming as a prince who forgets the royal ball's address. The very essence of animation lies in its ability to transcend reality's constraints. In the hands of talented animators and artists, anthropomorphic creatures and fantastical settings flourish, making us believe in a world beyond our own.

Yet, when the boundaries of reality are imposed upon these ethereal tales, the results can be as awkward as a fish out of water attempting ballet.

All this to say: you have my permission not to watch Disney's live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. While the original dazzled with its beautifully imaginative underwater kingdom, talking sea creatures, and soundtrack brimming with enchanting melodies, Rob Marshall's remake is a soulless cash grab (I suspect it is not going to grab a lot of cash, either) utterly devoid of any hint of charm of visual whimsy. Instead of vivid colours, here you have drab greys. Even the green and blue of Ariel's getup are so washed out that it looks as if she emerged from a muddy puddle rather than a freaking ocean.

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The Little Mermaid story

The story is pretty much the same. This is where the movie could have actually done something worthwhile and different. There was an opportunity to reimagine the narrative with a fresh perspective and address certain aspects that could benefit from a contemporary lens. But here, the remake is slavishly faithful to the original.

It follows the story of Ariel Halle Bailey), a mermaid princess, yearns to explore the human world despite the command of her her father Triton, the Sea King (Javier Bardem). She rescues human Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) from a shipwreck and falls in love with him. To explore the human world, she strikes a deal with the sea witch Ursula (Melissa McCarthy) to become human for three days and win Eric's love.

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So... The Little Mermaid isn't worth watching?

No, The Little Mermaid is not worth watching. It is a deeply cynical attempt to capitalise on nostalgia, aiming to squeeze every last drop of profit from a cherished tale without investing the effort to honour its essence. This is a corporate product, through and through. It lacks the heart, the imagination, and the artistic vision that breathed life into the animated classic.

Also, these films, the Disney live-action remakes, are always made by filmmakers who fail to instill any personality to the narrative, and more often than not try to redo the film almost frame-by-frame. The result, like The Little Mermaid here, is always a pale imitation.

Still, I hazard there are people, particularly young kids, who will enjoy this thing. And that is fine. But even they will be better served by re-watching or watching the animated original.

Performances are good, but not good enough

The cast, led by the talented Halle Bailey as Ariel, delivers decent enough performances. Bailey is truly good, and it is a shame that her first big break is this leaden remake. McCarthy is delightful and very well-cast in the villainous role.

Verdict

The Little Mermaid is a missed opportunity. I would have called it harmless, if not for the sheer lack of creativity at display here.

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